Happy New Year! As we begin 2026, let’s take a look at the top five emerging trends for clinical diagnostics this year and what they mean. The role of clinical diagnostics is more important than ever before, so it’s important to understand how these emerging trends might shape the future of the industry.
1. Widespread AI integration
2025 saw a significant growth in the accessibility and usage of artificial intelligence, using it to simplify processes and reduce administrative burden for employees. In healthcare, AI is being used to improve productivity and workflows for clinicians. For 2026, experts believe that this is going to increase in clinical diagnostic labs.
A report from Clinical Lab Products found that “in 2026, experts expect AI systems to take on a more active role in managing lab workflows, while still with guardrails and human oversight.”1 Some experts expect that AI is going to play a growing role in improving efficiency and precision across testing and decision support. There is momentum in the integration of AI into digital pathology, where “algorithms assist in pattern recognition, reduce scoring subjectivity, and provide high-value insights for cancer diagnosis and precision medicine.”2
The capabilities of AI may play a role in helping others to “go digital,” with growth in workflow efficiency, diagnostic precision, and operational resilience as motivating factors to adopt AI into the clinical diagnostic lab space.3
2. Increased personalization
Hyper-personalized medicine is a growing trend in healthcare, providing tailored medical treatments to match the genetic profile of your lifestyle and environment. This shift to a personalized medical approach moves away from the traditional one-size-fits-all approach.
Using hyper-personalized medicine in clinical diagnostics can reduce the margin for error and pinpoint issues at a molecular level. A report from AMN Healthcare said, “Genetic testing allows doctors to predict how a patient will respond to certain medications, enabling personalized prescriptions that boost effectiveness and reduce side effects.”4
3. Decentralized diagnostics
Decentralizing diagnostic testing creates significant opportunities to improve access to healthcare and the delivery of healthcare to patients by moving testing from the central lab closer to the patient. Clinical Lab Products says that more clinical testing is expected to happen outside the traditional lab settings. Because of the widespread integration of AI and machine learning into the diagnostic space, there will be a continued decentralization of diagnostic testing in healthcare.
Point-of-care testing is expected to be at the forefront of this trend, pushing “rapid, precise diagnostics in accessible settings to support on-visit treatment and curb transmission” of things like sexually transmitted diseases. For respiratory infections, multiplex panels could become standard practice at point-of-care and in the lab.5
4. Forecasting with data and analytics
Data is one of the most invaluable assets that the healthcare industry has at its disposal. There is an enormous amount of data generated by this industry, and experts say that, in 2026, there will be a significant focus on refining these existing data systems to use the information for better decision-making.
Clinicians can leverage patient data to build better care delivery strategies, even using data for predictive healthcare, “where analytics can identify health risks before they become serious, shifting the focus from reactive to preventative care.”6
5. Enhance cancer screenings through liquid biopsies
With diseases like cancer, early detection is the most important aspect of the care process. The earlier treatment can get started, the better the results will be for the patient. A traditional biopsy is often an invasive, painful procedure for the patient and slow to provide results. A liquid biopsy can change that.
A blog from Definitive Healthcare said that “with a simple blood draw, clinicians can detect circulating tumor DNA, monitor disease progression, and even spot recurrence before it shows up on a scan. For patients, it means earlier answers. For patients, it means a faster path to treatment decisions.”7
These trends signal a meaningful shift in how clinical diagnostics can support faster decisions, greater accuracy, and more personalized care. SEKISUI Diagnostics is committed to helping laboratories and providers by providing products and solutions that support better diagnostic decisions and better patient care.
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